Stuffing box



J, D. NlxoN ET Al. 2132J82 STUFFING BOX Filed Nov. 5, 1936 Jedfhd D. Nixon fon H. Lee

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Patented Qct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE vaisaiz.

- sTUFFiNG nox v Jeddy D. Nixon and Clifton H. Lee, Houston, Tex. Application November 521936, serial No. 109,257

2 claims. (ol. zsm-34) Still another object of thev invention is to provide `means in a stufling box for providing and. maintaining a iluid level in said box, whereby fluid will be held in the box above the-lower packing to lubricate the reciprocating element, yand more eillcient lubrication will be had under all conditions.

An important object of the invention is to provide a stumng box so arranged as to employ the iluid being worked, as a lubricant, together with means co-acting with the reciprocating` element for replenishing the supply of lubricant provided in the box. l

In the oil elds there is a type oi well known as "head wells, which makes or produces fluid only lat intervals. When a well is being pumped, the pumping mechanism is usually running continuously and the fluid is only produced sumciently for the pumping mechanism to pick up said fluid at intervals, and these intervals may be 'from fifteen minutes to four hours in length. With the stufilng boxes now on the market, the pumping rod is reciprocating continuously through the stuillng box, and when the well is not producing fluid to be lifted, the rod extending through the packing of the box will become dry and excessively wear the packing and burn the same. Also, the rod becomes heated and scores, so that notonly 40 does the packing have to be replaced rather frequently, but the rod must be replaced much sooner than should be necessary.

Another object oi the invention is to provide a stumng box so constructed that a reservoir is provided therein, so that said stuillng box is readily adaptable for use on wells known as "head wells, and the reciprocating element extending through said stuiiing box is lubricated during the intervals occurring between eachl load or head" of fluid, whereby the packing will not be burned and the rod will not become scorched or scored.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, ,together with other features of the invention.

'I'he invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing,in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, partly in section and partly in elevation;

Figure 2 isan isometrical view of the guide bushing of the stuiiing box;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l; f

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the stuifing box, illustrating a portion of a rod or other element extending therethrough.

In the drawing the numeral I0 designates the body of a stuillng box having a bowl I I and a reduced shank I2 depending therefrom, the lower end of which is provided with an internally screwthreaded box I2 for receiving the externally screw-threaded pin of the usual well tubing or casing. The bowl provides a chamber or a reservoir I4 for the storage of a fluid or a lubricant and an axial opening I3 extends from the bowl to the box I2'.

The upper end of the bowl I 0 is provided with an internally screw-threaded collar I5, which receives an externally screw-threaded sleeve I6. 'I'he sleeve has diametrically extending thumb lugs or projections I'l, for gripping the sleeve and screwing it into and out of the collar I5. The upper end of the sleeve receives a cap nut I8, which is provided with thumb lugs I9. similar to the lugs I1. l

The axial opening I3 is provided near its lower end with an annular shoulder 20 for receiving a flanged guide collar 2|, which supports thereabove, a pair of elastic packing rings 22 of rubber or other suitable material. An elongated, perforatedbushing 23 is mounted on the packing rings and at its lower end an annular flange 24 made integral therewith, for snugly engaging in the opening I3. The upper end of the bushing is provided with a ilange 25, somewhat similar to the ange 24, and which snugly engages Within the axial bore of the sleeve I6. The upper end of the bushing is dished, as shown in Figures l, 2 and 5.

A plurality o f packing rings 26 snugly nt within the bore of the sleeve I6, and aresupported on the cuter. upper rim or edge of the boss 25, as will be seen in Figures l and 5. Mounted above the packing rings 26 is a suitable gland 21, which snugly engages within the bore of the nipple I B. The gland may be made integral with the cap or a separate unit, as desired. 'The lower end of the gland is preferably beveled to correspond with the dlshed surface of the sleeve 23 and, as will be seen in-Flgures 1 and 5, only the outer rim or edge of the block engages the packing ring 21; thus, it will be seen that .upon downward movement of the gland the packing is forced inwardly, as well as downwardly.

The cap nut I8 has an inwardly extending, annular lip 28 for engaging the upper end of the gland to impart downward movement or pressure thereto. 1 and 5, wherein it willbe seen that with the rotating of the nut I8, so as to screw the same downwardly on the sleeve I6, the gland 21 will be forced downwardly thereby, and the packing rings 26 will be distorted. A certain amount of this downward pressure will be transmitted through the bushing 23 to the packing rings 22, which will also be deformed, because the guide collar` 2| resting on the shoulder 20 of the opening I3 prevents further downward movement. It is pointed out that an axial passage through the stuiiing box is formed and the rod, cable, wire line, or other reciprocating element 30 passing through the stuffing box will be gripped by the packing rings 26 at the upper end of the stufling box, and by the packing rings 22 at the lower endof the stumng box. It is pointed out that the size of the passage through the stufllng box may be varied to accommodate any size of element it is desired to pass through the stuffing box.

Stuiiing boxes are ordinarily used where a well is being pumped or fluid is being handled, and, as the lower end of the stuffing box is connected to the well casing or tubing, fluid will at various times come up within the lower end of the box Il of the stufllng box. A pair of tubes 3l or other suitable conductors extend from the top of the box I2 upwardly through the chamber 'I4 to within a short distance of the top thereof, to provide communication between the box I2 on the lower .end of the stufling box and the chamber, so that when -iiuid iiows up into the box it will be conducted to the chamber I4, and fill the same to the level of the top of the tubes 3|. As will be seen in Figures 1I 2, 4 and 5, the bushing 23 is provided with holes or perforations 32, whereby the fluid will be permitted to enter the bushing and surround the rod or other element 30 extending therethrough. Inasmuch as the packing rings 22 are engaging the rod 30,'tl1e fluid will not leak therebetween, and it will be seen that the rod passing either upwardly or downwardly will be coated with a film of the fluid within the chamber and thus, lubricated through the packing rings 26 if passing upwardly, or the packing rings 22 if passing downwardly.

In the type of wells known as head wells, fluid is only produced at intervals, and for different wells these intervals may be from five, ten or fifteen minutes up to three or four hours in length. It can be readily seen that with a rod or other element reciprocating through packing which has sufiicient contact with said element to prevent fluid or gas escaping therebetween, that said element would soon be scraped free of fluid Attention is called to Figures' and become dry, which would then burn the packing and in turn said element. With applicants invention the chamber I4 holds a reservoir or storage of the fluid being worked, which is f usually crude oil, but may be any other fluid present in said well. The rod is lubricated while reciprocating during said intervals and the packing does not burn or necessitate frequent replacement.v It is pointed out that while the tubes Il are shown as filling the chamber I I, said chamber may be readily filled externally, or in any other manner desired.

This invention is also particularly useful where the rod 30 remains stationary for quite some time before being lowered into the stufllng box and the tubing or casing, because the chamber I4 will hold the fluid as long as the packing rings 22 engage the rod 30 sulciently to prevent leakage therearound. If desired, a iiuid may be poured around the rod above the packing 2B and in the opening through the lip 28 of the cap I8. in order to lubricate the upper packing rings 26, although this is not always necessary, unless it is desired on the first trip into the Well. It is pointed out that the rod on its upward travel was coated with a thin film of fluid which the packing rings 26 did not remove. This lm' will protect the rod and packing and will lubricate said rod through said packing rings 26.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A stuiiing box including; a body having a lubricant storage chamber, a perforated sleeve extending through the chamber, a sealing member having a tapered screw threaded portion screwed into the top of the body and forming a fluid tight seal therewith,said member surrounding the upper end of the sleeveJ packing b elow said sleeve for sealing member above said sleeve vfor sealing the upper end of said chamber and for stripping uid from the reciprocating element, and an 'overow conductor extending into the i chamber terminating. above the bottom of said chamber for maintaining a iluid level therein Withinfsaid chamber and below the sealed joint.

2. A stuing box including, a body having a broad vfiat lubricant chamber and having a tapered screw threaded opening in its top lwall f and an opening in its bottom wall, a perforated sleeve extending axially through the chamber with its ends protruding into the top and bottom openings thereof, a gland member telescoping the upper end of the sleeve and having its lower end tapered and externally screw threaded for engaging in the tapered opening of the chamber 

